Adjustable locking rim for shipping containers

ABSTRACT

A locking rim for a shipping container having an adjustable hooking member which is attachable to a lever arm closure member wherein the hooking member has projections which selectively engage certain slots in the end of the locking rim at plural points of contact. In a modified hooking member certain selected slanted slots engage a plurality of pins on the locking rim.

United States Patent Inventor Heber K. Angel] 509 W. Parkwood Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45405 Appl. No. 10,333

Filed Feb. 11, 1970 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 ADJUSTABLE LOCKING RIM FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERS 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl ..292/256.69, 24/271, 292/113, 292/247, 292/DIG. 49, 292/DIG. Int. Cl Bd 45/34 Field of Search 292/1 13,

114, 247, 256.69, DIG. 31, DIG. 49, DIG. 60; /461; 24/271; 220/55,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,339,962 9/1967 Santoni 292/256.69 1,787,150 12/1930 Gerow..... 24/271 2,302,475 11/1942 Richards 24/271 1,735,932 11/1929 Nelson 24/271 1,436,317 11/1922 Kriescher 24/271 FOREIGN PATENTS 84,443 12/ 1 964 France 24/271 Primary Examiner- Robert L. Wolfe Attorneys-Harry A. Herbert, Jr. and Richard J. Killoren ABSTRACT: A locking rim for a shipping container having an adjustable hooking member which is attachable to a lever arm closure member wherein the hooking member has projections which selectively engage certain slots in the end of the locking rim at plural points of contact. In a modified hooking member certain selected slanted slots engage a plurality of pins on the locking rim.

PATENTEU JAN] 1 I972 SHEEI 1 BF 2 ADJUSTABLE LOCKING RIM FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Shipping containers, and particularly industrial shipping containers, are called upon to withstand rigorous and abusive treatment in both domestic and overseas transportation handling and storage. Frequently, metal drums, or fiber drums, are used for this type of service and where particularly good protection for the interior contents is required, the containers are equipped with tight-fitting covers and locking rims to hold the covers in place. To prevent the loss of moisture or gases. or the entrance of excessive humidity or other foreign particles, a resilient, compressible gasket is utilized between the cover and the chime of the container.

If this compressible, resilient gasket material is subject to 'extra loads, such as may be encountered when containers are stacked one on top of another, in a warehouse, or in outdoor storage, the gaskets may take a set and be compressed beyond their normal point. When a container is opened and reclosed, or when a container of this type is reused, or shipment is made to an additional destination, it is possible that the compressed sealing gasket will no longer do its job, due to overcompresslon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention means are provided for adjusting the length of the locking rim normally used with such containers to thereby provide the necessary force to compress the gasket tightly to assure a good seal. While various clamps with lever-type locking mechanisms are known in the art, such as shown in Edeborg U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,837, none of these are suitable for this purpose. Some are bulky and have sharp edges which will cause damage to other containers and some may be in danger of being released due to rough handling.

The device of this invention has a latch mechanism in which the adjustable element is positively locked, has plural contact points for added strength and fits closely to the container with substantially no rough protrusions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partially cutaway sectional view of a container with which the device of the invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway sectional view of a latching mechanism according-to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the hooking mechanism of the device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the notched end of the locking rim member of the invention for use with the hooking member of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a cutaway sectional view of a modified locking rim with a modified hooking member.

FIG. 6 shows a portion of the locking rim of the device of FIG. 5 with pin retainers.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the modified hooking member for the device of FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a drum such as a shipping container 10 has a cover member 12. A gasket material 14 is provided between the drum chime 15 and the rim 16 of cover member 12. The gasket 14 is compressed by means of a locking rim 18 having a truncated V-shaped cross section whereby the sides 19 and 20 act as cam surfaces to compress the gasket 14. The device thus far described is conventional structure which usually is secured by a bolt and nut or nonadjustable clamp.

The closing apparatus of the invention is shown in FIGS. 2-4. A lever arm 22 is attached to the rim end 23 by a hooking member 24, as will be explained later.

A link member 26 is pivotably connected to lever arm 22 at 27 and is pivotably secured to the rim end 29 by means of a loop band member 31.

The hooking member 24 makes three-point contact with the rim end 23. A first portion 33 passes around pin 35 and has a portion 40 passes through another pair of opposed slots 39 and another portion 42 passes up through another pair of opposed slots 39 and another portion 42 passes up through another pair of opposed slots 39. A portion 44 of hooking member 24 is narrower than the remainder so that the hooking member may be tipped forward removing portions 37. 40 and 42 from their respective slots to move the narrow portion 44 through slot 46 to change the position of the hooking member 24 with respect to the rim 18.

In the operation of the device, locking rim [8 is placed in position on the drum and hooking member 24 is placed in its desired position in rim end 23. The lever arm 22 is then moved into engagement with rim end 23 so that link 26 moves past the center of pin 35. While this will tend to lock the lever in place, a separate locking retainer may be provided for lever arm 22 if desired. If the locking rim is removed and replaced, or if there is leakage, the hooking member 24 is moved to slots 39 further from the end of rim l8.

While the device thus far described is very satisfactory, there is usually a gap between rim ends 23 and 29 when the latch is in its closed position.

A hooking device which covers this gap is shown in FIGS. 5-7. In this device rim end 23' has spaced pins 50 projecting beyond each side thereof as shown in FIG. 6. The pin 35 is secured by a loop 52 on hooking device 54. The sides of hooking device 54 has slots 56 with their open ends projecting toward rim end 29. The slots 56 engage pins 50 of the rim 18. The looped band member 31 is attached to end 29 a greater distance from the end than in the device of FIGS. 24.

There is thus provided an adjustable means for locking rims which will properly seal the gaskets used in shipping containers.

lclaim:

1. In combination with a cylindrical container having a rolled top edge and a cover having a matching curved rim with a sealing gasket between the top edge of the container and the curved rim of the cover: a locking rim, comprising an annular truncated V-shaped channel member; an over center latching mechanism for said locking rim including a lever; pivotable means, secured to said lever, for selectively securing the lever to one end of said locking rim at any of a plurality of points on said locking rim; a link member having one end pivotably secured to said lever and the other end pivotably secured to the other end of said locking rim; said locking rim having an elongated circumferential slot and a plurality of pairs of cross slots communicating with said circumferential slot and said latching mechanism including a hooking member having one end rolled to loop around a pin at one end of said lever and to extend into an opposed pair of said cross slots and having the other end projecting through an opposed pair of said cross slots and back through a second opposed pair of said cross slots; said hooking member having a narrow portion adapted to slide in said circumferential slot when said projections are removed from said cross slots.

2. In combination with a cylindrical container having :1 rolled top edge and a cover having a matching curved rim with a sealing gasket between the top edge of the container and the curved rim of the cover: a locking rim, comprising an annular truncated V-shaped channel member; an overcenter latching mechanism for said locking rim including a lever; pivotable means, secured to said lever, for selectively securing the lever to one end of said locking rim at any of a plurality of points on said locking rim; a link member having one end pivotably secured to said lever and the other end pivotably secured to the other end of said locking rim; said locking rim having a plurality of pins projecting from the side at said one end thereof; a truncated V-shaped channel hooking member having one end rolled to loop around a pin at one end of said lever and a plurality of slots in the sides of the truncated V-shaped channel; said slots having their open ends closer to the end that is rolled around the pin than their closed ends. 

1. In combination with a cylindrical container having a rolled top edge and a cover having a matching curved rim with a sealing gasket between the top edge of the container and the curved rim of the cover: a locking rim, comprising an annular truncated Vshaped channel member; an over center latching mechanism for said locking rim including a lever; pivotable means, secured to said lever, for selectively securing the lever to one end of said locking rim at any of a plurality of points on said locking rim; a link member having one end pivotably secured to said lever and the other end pivotably secured to the other end of said locking rim; said locking rim having an elongated circumferential slot and a plurality of pairs of cross slots communicating with said circumferential slot and said latching mechanism including a hooking member having one end rolled to loop around a pin at one end of said lever and to extend into an opposed pair of said cross slots and having the other end projecting through an opposed pair of said cross slots and back through a second opposed pair of said cross slots; said hooking member having a narrow portion adapted to slide in said circumferential slot when said projections are removed from said cross slots.
 2. In combination with a cylindrical container having a rolled top edge and a cover having a matching curved rim with a seaLing gasket between the top edge of the container and the curved rim of the cover: a locking rim, comprising an annular truncated V-shaped channel member; an overcenter latching mechanism for said locking rim including a lever; pivotable means, secured to said lever, for selectively securing the lever to one end of said locking rim at any of a plurality of points on said locking rim; a link member having one end pivotably secured to said lever and the other end pivotably secured to the other end of said locking rim; said locking rim having a plurality of pins projecting from the side at said one end thereof; a truncated V-shaped channel hooking member having one end rolled to loop around a pin at one end of said lever and a plurality of slots in the sides of the truncated V-shaped channel; said slots having their open ends closer to the end that is rolled around the pin than their closed ends. 